Cookie Policy
Cookie Policy
Alan Williams Metal Sculpture Artist
Website: https://alanwilliamsmetalartist.com/
Last updated: 23 October 2026
1. Introduction
This Cookie Policy explains how Alan Williams Metal Sculpture Artist (“we”, “us” or “our”) uses cookies and similar technologies on https://alanwilliamsmetalartist.com/.
Our website showcases original metal sculptures, accepts enquiries and commissions, provides workshop information and operates an online shop.
We use certain technologies to keep the website secure and working correctly. With your permission, we also use optional technologies to understand how visitors use the website and to provide additional features.
This policy applies to visitors from the United Kingdom, the European Union and other countries.
2. What are cookies?
Cookies are small text files stored on your computer, smartphone or other device when you visit a website.
They can help a website remember your preferences, maintain your shopping basket, process payments securely or understand how visitors use its pages.
We may also use related technologies, including browser local storage, session storage, scripts and tracking pixels. These are covered by this policy where relevant.
Cookies may be:
- Session cookies: Temporary cookies that normally expire when your browsing session ends.
- Persistent cookies: Cookies that remain until their expiry date or until you delete them.
- First-party cookies: Set by our website.
- Third-party cookies: Set by external services, such as payment providers or embedded content providers.
3. How we use cookies
We divide cookies and similar technologies into four categories.
Strictly necessary cookies
These support essential website functions, including:
- Shopping baskets and checkout.
- Payment processing and fraud prevention.
- Website security and protection against malicious activity.
- Remembering your cookie consent choices.
- Essential website performance and session management.
These technologies may be used without consent where an applicable legal exemption permits them.
Statistics cookies
With your consent, we use Google Analytics 4 to understand how visitors find and use our website.
This may include information about page visits, navigation, traffic sources, device types and interactions.
We use these insights to improve the website and make it easier for visitors to explore our sculptures, workshops and shop.
Google Analytics cookies are controlled through our consent management system.
Preferences cookies
These remember non-essential choices that improve your experience, such as display or other website preferences.
Where a preference technology does not qualify for an exemption, we ask for your consent before using it.
Marketing and third-party content
Some pages may contain third-party content, including embedded videos, maps and newsletter forms.
These services may use cookies or other technologies for purposes such as delivering content, measuring engagement or personalisation.
Where consent is required, the relevant non-essential technologies are subject to your preferences.
4. Cookies and storage technologies used by this website
The following inventory identifies the principal technologies found during our website review, together with cookies that may be used when particular features are activated.
Not every cookie is placed on every visit. Some appear only when you use the shop, view particular content or interact with a payment provider.
4.1 Consent management — Complianz
We use Complianz to record and manage your cookie preferences.
| Cookie | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
cmplz_functional | Remembers functional consent settings | 365 days |
cmplz_statistics | Remembers statistics consent settings | 365 days |
cmplz_preferences | Remembers preference consent settings | 365 days |
cmplz_marketing | Remembers marketing consent settings | 365 days |
cmplz_banner-status | Records whether the consent banner has been dismissed | 365 days |
cmplz_consented_services | Records service-specific consent preferences | 365 days |
cmplz_policy_id | Records the cookie policy configuration associated with your choice | 365 days |
Our website may also use wp_consent_* cookies through the WordPress Consent API. These communicate your preferences to compatible website software. Their observed lifetime is approximately 30 days.
These consent-management technologies are treated as strictly necessary because they record and apply your privacy choices.
4.2 Website performance and security
We use LiteSpeed and Wordfence technologies to help keep the website operating efficiently and securely.
| Cookie | Provider | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
_lscache_vary | LiteSpeed | Helps deliver the appropriate cached version of a page | Approximately 2 days |
| Wordfence security-related storage, where required | Wordfence | Security and protection against malicious requests | Depends on the particular security function |
These technologies are treated as functional where they are necessary for website operation or security.
4.3 Shopping basket and checkout — WooCommerce
Our online shop is powered by WooCommerce.
Depending on the shopping features you use, WooCommerce may store the following:
| Cookie or storage | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
woocommerce_cart_hash | Detects changes to your shopping basket | Session |
woocommerce_items_in_cart | Helps maintain basket contents | Session |
wp_woocommerce_session_* | Associates your basket with your shopping session | Normally 2 days |
wc_cart_hash_* | Stores basket-related state | Session |
storeApiCartHash | Maintains WooCommerce Store API basket state | Browser storage; duration depends on implementation |
storeApiCartData | Stores basket information for Store API functionality | Browser storage; duration depends on implementation |
storeApiNonce | Supports secure Store API requests | Browser storage; duration depends on implementation |
These technologies support the shopping functions requested by visitors. Cookies necessary for those functions are treated as strictly necessary.
Additional WooCommerce cookies may be used when account, checkout or other shopping features are activated.
4.4 Payment processing — Stripe
We use Stripe payment technology to support secure transactions.
Stripe may use cookies for fraud prevention, risk assessment and payment security.
| Cookie | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
__stripe_mid | Helps identify potentially fraudulent payment activity | 1 year |
__stripe_sid | Supports fraud detection during a payment session | 30 minutes |
These cookies were identified during testing of our shop and checkout pages.
We treat payment-security storage as strictly necessary only where it is required to provide secure payment functionality and meets an applicable exemption.
For details about Stripe’s processing practices, see https://stripe.com/privacy.
4.5 Payment processing — PayPal
Our website also integrates PayPal payment services.
PayPal may place cookies when its payment components are loaded or when you select PayPal as a payment method.
Cookies identified during testing included:
| Cookie | Provider | Purpose or association | Observed duration |
|---|---|---|---|
__cf_bm | Cloudflare / PayPal | Automated traffic and bot protection | Approximately 30 minutes |
l7_az | PayPal | Payment-session and security functionality | Approximately 30 minutes |
sc_f | PayPal | PayPal service and device identification | Approximately 13 months |
KHcl0EuY7AKSMgfvHl7J5E7hPtK | PayPal | PayPal service identification | Approximately 13 months |
c | PayPal (stats.paypal.com) | PayPal service-related measurement or identification; exact purpose requires provider confirmation | Approximately 13 months |
Some PayPal technologies may be required for transaction security. Other PayPal technologies may have statistical or additional purposes and require consent, depending on how they are used.
PayPal’s privacy information is available at https://www.paypal.com/uk/legalhub/paypal/privacy-full.
4.6 Website analytics — Google Analytics 4
With your consent, we use Google Analytics 4 to collect statistical information about website visits.
| Cookie | Provider | Purpose | Observed duration |
|---|---|---|---|
_ga | Google Analytics | Distinguishes browser instances for statistical measurement | Approximately 13 months |
_ga_HSNSWS8Y2D | Google Analytics | Maintains information about website measurement sessions | Approximately 13 months |
These cookies are classified as Statistics and require your consent under our current configuration.
They are not required to browse our website, view sculptures, make enquiries or purchase products.
For Google’s privacy information, see https://policies.google.com/privacy.
4.7 WooCommerce order attribution
WooCommerce can use Sourcebuster JS to understand how customers arrived at the website before placing an order.
When this feature is active and permitted, the following cookies may be used:
| Cookie | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
sbjs_current | Current visit’s traffic source | Session |
sbjs_current_add | Additional current visit information | Session |
sbjs_first | First recorded traffic source for the session | Session |
sbjs_first_add | Additional first-visit information | Session |
sbjs_session | Page views and session information | 30 minutes |
sbjs_udata | Browser and device-related information | Session |
sbjs_migrations | Technical information supporting the attribution system | Session |
This information helps us understand which channels contribute to orders.
Order attribution is separate from the cookies required to maintain a shopping basket. Where its storage is not exempt, it is subject to the appropriate consent settings.
4.8 Google reCAPTCHA
We use Google reCAPTCHA to help protect contact forms against spam and automated submissions.
Depending on the implementation, Google may use technologies including:
| Cookie or storage | Purpose | Typical duration |
|---|---|---|
_GRECAPTCHA | Spam prevention and risk assessment | Up to 6 months |
rc::a | Identifies and filters automated requests | Persistent storage |
rc::b, rc::c | Supports reCAPTCHA checks | Session |
reCAPTCHA may involve communication with Google’s servers and the processing of technical information, including IP addresses.
Where the service requires consent, its loading is controlled through the website’s consent settings. Declining the service may prevent the protected form from functioning.
You can contact us directly using the email address provided at the end of this policy.
Google’s privacy information is available at https://policies.google.com/privacy.
4.9 Embedded maps, videos and external content
Some website pages may contain or link to content provided by external services.
These include:
| Service | Purpose | Cookie or storage information |
|---|---|---|
| Google Maps | Displaying geographical information | May involve Google storage and the processing of IP addresses |
| YouTube | Displaying video content | May use YSC, PREF, VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE and other Google technologies |
| Vimeo | Displaying video content | May use vuid and __utmt_player |
| Google Fonts | Displaying website typography | Remote font requests may transmit technical information, including IP addresses |
The presence of an integration does not mean that all these technologies are used during every visit.
Third-party content may be withheld, replaced by a placeholder or require an interaction before loading where consent is necessary.
Further privacy information:
- Google: https://policies.google.com/privacy
- YouTube: https://policies.google.com/privacy
- Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/privacy
4.10 Newsletter forms — Brevo
Our newsletter signup page uses a form provided by Brevo.
The embedded form may involve communication with Brevo’s systems and anti-spam technology when the form is loaded or submitted.
Any cookies or storage used by the form depend on the technologies active during that interaction.
Information submitted when subscribing to the newsletter is handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy and the information provided at the point of subscription.
Brevo’s privacy information is available at https://www.brevo.com/legal/privacypolicy/.
5. Managing your cookie preferences
When you first visit our website, you are offered a choice about the use of non-essential cookies.
You can:
- Accept optional cookie categories.
- Reject optional cookie categories.
- Choose individual consent categories through the preferences interface.
- Change or withdraw your consent later.
You can reopen the consent interface using the Manage Consent or Cookie Settings control available on the website.
Withdrawing consent prevents the continued use of technologies that rely on that consent. Previously stored information may remain subject to applicable retention and deletion rules.
You can also delete cookies through your browser settings.
Please be aware that disabling strictly necessary cookies may affect shopping baskets, checkout or other essential website functions.
6. Visitors from the United Kingdom and European Union
We operate from the United Kingdom and welcome visitors from other countries, including the European Union.
Our use of cookies is subject to applicable privacy and electronic communications legislation.
In the United Kingdom, this includes the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations and, where personal data is processed, the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018, as amended.
For visitors in the European Union, relevant legislation includes the GDPR and the applicable national rules implementing the ePrivacy framework.
Some strictly necessary technologies may be used without consent where the relevant legal conditions are met. Other limited exemptions may apply in particular jurisdictions and circumstances.
Our approach is to request consent for Google Analytics and other optional technologies where required, while allowing necessary website and transaction functionality to operate.
7. Third-party services and international data processing
Some website features are provided through external organisations, including Google, Stripe, PayPal and Brevo.
When you use those features, information may be processed by the relevant provider, potentially in countries outside the United Kingdom or European Economic Area.
Each provider is responsible for its own processing activities where it acts independently. Its privacy documentation explains its relevant practices and safeguards.
Further information about how we handle personal data is available in our website Privacy Policy.
8. Your privacy rights
Depending on the legislation that applies to you, you may have rights concerning personal information processed through website technologies.
These may include rights to access information, request corrections, request erasure, object to certain processing or withdraw consent.
You may also have the right to complain to a relevant data protection supervisory authority.
In the United Kingdom, this is the Information Commissioner’s Office:
For more information about personal data processing and your rights, please refer to our Privacy Policy.
9. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy when our website functionality changes, when we add or remove technologies, or when legal requirements change.
The date at the top of this page indicates when this policy was last updated.
Where changes require renewed consent, we will request it through the website’s consent management system.
10. Contact information
If you have questions about cookies, privacy or how your information is used, please contact:
Alan Williams
Alan Williams Metal Sculpture Artist
The Old Parlour
Blackstone Lane
Woodmancote
Blackstone
West Sussex
BN5 9TB
United Kingdom
Email: alanwilliamsmetalartist@gmail.com
Website: https://alanwilliamsmetalartist.com/